Coupling for mine-cars



I. E. DUKE.

COUPLIIIG FOR MINE CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 192l- L 91 T 7 H 4 IS mu DH 5 d2 m n Le a D1 III 1 J. E. DUKE.

COUPLING FOR MINE CARS.

APPLICATION man MAR 29 1921 2 SHEETS-3HEET 2.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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JOSEPH E. DUKE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAIEA.

.CO'UPZING FOR MINE-CARS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed March 29, 1921. Serial No. 456,580.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osnrrr E. Dom, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefierson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful improvements in a Coupling for Mine-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the inventionis to provide a simple and inexpensive automatic coupler for mine cars adapted to permit of the necessary relative range of movement of the male and female coupler members while insuring the eflicient engagement thereof when the members are brought together; furthermore to provide simple and efficient -means for locking the movable knuckle of the female member in its closed position; to provlde efiiclent means for preventing the jamming of the members together in the.

event of the sudden stoppage of the forward car of a train or in traversin downgrades, and to provide elficient means for connecting the coupler members to the opposite ends of a car; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a planview of a pair of coupler members arranged in engaged relation,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the coupler members carried at opposite ends of a car to show the connection between the same, the car body being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. l to show particularly the relation between the latch and the movable knuckle and a means on the rocker shaft for tripping the latch.

Fig. 5 is a front or face view partly broken away of the female member of the coupler.

Fig, 6 is a detail view in perspective of the male member of the coupler.

The male and female coupler members 10 and 11, as applied respectively to the oppossite ends of a mine car indicated at 12, are provided at their inner end with sockets 13 lower sides of the reduced opening. at the.

inner end of which are arranged the movableknuckles 19 and wall 20 which are,

preferably rounded to facilitate the engagement therewith'of the head 21 on the extremity of the tongue 22 forming a part of the wall coupler head, a cross head 23 being arranged at thebase of the-tongue for contact with the forward edges of the flared throat of the femalemember. In the constructionfillustrated the cross head is of generally triangular form arranged in a vertlcal plane wlth its base presented forwardly for engagement with the throat of the co'mplemental coupler memberas shown clearly in Fig. 2. The terminal head of the'tongue 22 is preferably of substantially elliptical form in plan to permit of a lateral swinging movement of the tongue, with in the area mounted by the side walls of the throat 18, upon the inner surfaces of the knuckles as a fulcrum, and said head is also preferably reduced vertically in thick-f ness toward its forward edge to facilitate separatlon of the knuckles by movement of the upper knuckle in engaging the coupler members.

The movable coupler knuckle is fulcrumed by means of a transverse pivot pin 24 and carries a wing 25 having a slot 26 with a transverse pin 27 for engagement by an uncoupling arm 28 on the rock shaft 29. The rock shaft is arranged transversely of the coupler member 11, being mounted in bearings 30 in the upper edges of the side walls thereof and being retained in place by the cap plate or cover 31 which is removable to give access to the operating elements when adjustment or repair becomes necessary.

The free or inner edge of the wing 25 of the movable knuckle is preferably beveled or reduced as indicated at 32 for engagement by a latch 33 pivoted as at 34: to a side wall of the coupler member and weighted as at 35 b0 hold the latch yieldingly and normally in engaging relation with the bevreturns to its normal position, under the influence of its actuating weight orcounterbalance to occupy a position in thepath of the wing ito' hold the knuckle in an. open or receiving positlon. As soon as the complementalcoupler member enters the opening at the inner end of the throat 18 however, and thereby positions the terminal head 5210f the tongue within the coupler chamber behind the movable knuckle, a slight strain upon the male coupler member tending to separate the members will cause the knuckle 19 to swing to its locking position with the wing 25 engaged by the latch 33'.

The uncoupling of the member cannot thereafter be accomplished except by the operation of the uncoupling or rock shaft. v I

From the description it will be obvious that while an efficient engagement may be secured between the complemental members of the coupler and may be secured merely by bringing-said members into engaging re 1 lation, the elements entering into the c011- struction are of such simplicity as to practically eliminate the risk of disarrangement or breakage notwithstanding the rough usage to which mine cars ordinarily are subjected, and in the event of injury or disarrangement, repairs may readily and quickly be made without the necessity of resorting to skilled service.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:-

1. A car coupling having complement a1 coupling members, one of said members having a knuckle, the other of said members having a tongue engageable with said knuckle, I means pivotally mounting the knuckle to yield relatively to the tongue to lock the latter,inea11s operable to shift the knuckle to release the tongueya latch normally in engagement with saidknuckle, and

trip means to release the latch as said last mentioned means is operated.

2. An automatic coupler for cars :andthe like having complemental male and female members of which the latter is provided with a knuckle and the former is provided with a terminally headed tongue for engagement with said knuckle, said knuckle being movable upon a horizontal axis and having a rearwardly extending wing, and

an uncoupling shaft having an arm for engagement with said wing, in combination with a latch yieldingly held in engaging relation with the wing to. secure said knuckle in its engaging position.

3. An automatic coupler for. cars and the like having complementalmale and female members of which the latter is provided with aknuckle and the former 'is provided with a terminally headed tongue for engagement with said knuckle, said knuckle being movable. upon a horizontal axis and having a rearwardly extending wing, and

an uncoupling shaft having an arm for engagement with said wing, in combination with a latch yieldingly heldin engaging relation with the wing to'secure said knuckle in its engagin position, and a trip finger on the uncoupling shaft for tilting the latch to release the wing of said knuckle.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH E. DUKE. Witnesses:

.L.'L. SPENCE,

JOHN J. WALK R. 

